Typically, an NTP-only solution is used to synchronize time among NiagaraAX hosts running AX-3.4 or later, such that all platforms use their enabled NtpPlatformService for their OS type, and each has no TimeSyncService component in their station. A Supervisor may be NTP-configured to sync with one or more domain controllers, or perhaps to sync to one or more well-known Internet public NTP time servers. Whereas JACEs typically specify the Supervisor as the NTP time server. Or alternatively, a JACE may be configured to sync to other JACEs, or (providing it has access to DNS and a gateway), a public NTP time server.

However, it may be possible that RFC 868 time server support is still required, for example an AX-3.4 or later Supervisor on a job that includes one or more AX-3.3 JACEs. In this scenario, the Supervisor could synchronize its own time using NTP (as a client) using its NtpPlatformServiceWin32, and also behave as an RFC 868 time server via the TimeSyncService in its running station. Note in this configuration, any child “TimeSyncClient” components under its TimeSyncService are irrelevant—as whenever the NtpPlatformService is enabled, client synchronization is only possible using NTP.

However, in the TimeSyncService of any remote AX-3.3 (or earlier) JACE station, it could reference the Supervisor as the TimeSyncClient (time server) to request/receive RFC 868 synchronization.